TRACY HARRIS-Staff Writer

Laura and Micah McClendon with dog Rosie
At just 15 years old and a sophomore in high school, Micah McClendon’s future looked promising. On September 11, 2020, during what was described as a “routine play” at Forrest’s homecoming football game, Micah suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury.
Since that night, Micah and his mother, Laura, of Chapel Hill, have embarked on a journey neither could have imagined. The injury to Micah’s C-4 and C-5 vertebrae left him paralyzed from the chest down.
Micah’s care began at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and continued at the Shepherd Center Rehabilitation in Atlanta. He spent his 16th birthday in the hospital in December 2020. Doctors predicted he would be bedridden and dependent on a ventilator for the rest of his life. “Thank goodness our faith isn’t in them,” Laura said.
On Jan. 12, 2021, four months and one day after his injury, they returned to Tennessee from Atlanta. Micah began adjusting to life with an electric wheelchair. By August, he was back in school, starting his junior year at Forrest.
Since then, Micah’s determination has led to incredible milestones. He has attended prom, gone hunting and killed a buck, celebrated his 20th birthday, traveled with the Forrest football team, and vacationed with his family at the beach. He even graduated high school early in December 2022.
Micah and Laura’s story has taken them far beyond Tennessee.
On Jan. 2, 2023, two weeks after he completed high school, the pair flew to South America for his first stem cell treatment at BioXcellerator Colombia. Each treatment required a flight to South America, with four treatments completed between January and October of 2023. Within weeks of the first treatment, Micah began showing progress. He now has more strength, increased range of motion, and improved functionality that continues to develop as a result of the stem cell treatments.
Last summer, Laura received a Facebook message inviting Micah to attend an inaugural summer camp in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The director of the Children’s Specialized Hospital’s True Grit Spinal Cord Program offered Micah the last of eight spots at a week-long program, which collaborates with Rutgers University School of Health Professions.
The five-day residential program is designed to help young adults with spinal cord injuries gain independence, but it truly changed Micah’s life.
The week of staying in the dorms at Rutgers University had a transformative effect on his mindset as well. “The reason I’m going to be starting college is because of that program,” Micah said. “You got to experience what college would be like if you stayed on campus. My mom dropped me off on Monday, and I didn’t see her again until Friday. It was that experience that opened my eyes up to, hey, I could do that if I wanted to. So, I was like, it’s really up to me now to get myself to the next level.”
That five-day stay with a completely different caregiver was both challenging and empowering for Micah and Laura. “They had things planned out for the whole week that we got to experience. We were 14 hours away from home. That first night, I think it took me forever to fall asleep,” Micah said.
Laura laughed and added, “Yeah, we talked on the phone for quite a while that night. Both of us felt kind of weird. I was just a few minutes away at a hotel.”
Before the trip, most of Micah’s therapy focused on physical therapy (PT), but occupational therapy (OT) during that week helped him achieve greater independence. “It doesn’t seem like a big thing for most people, but for me, it was a pretty big step,” he said. He returned home with two new skills including the ability to feed himself and brush his teeth, thanks to the OT.
Adjusting to life on campus can be intimidating for any college student- new people, unfamiliar buildings, and a new routine. For someone with a spinal cord injury, the challenges can feel even greater. Not for Micah.
Earlier this week, Micah started a new journey at Lipscomb as a full-time student. He is enrolled in 15 credit hours. When asked what he foresees as his biggest challenge, he expects it to be schoolwork of all things.
“I know the schoolwork won’t be easy. I’m not looking forward to that part, but I am really excited to start writing essays and stuff again,” he said.
For the Spring 2025 semester, his major is undecided and for now, he is taking general education requirements. He is most excited about what they call “The Lipscomb Experience.”
His on-campus classes take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—starting at 10:00 a.m. He has another class at 11:00, a break for lunch, and his final class at 1:00 p.m. “The classes are only 50 minutes, and I’ve only got three, but it’s going to be different just being away for that amount of time,” he said. He is also enrolled in two online classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
His mom will drop him off for class, return for lunch only, then pick him up at the end of the day. This is the first time they will be apart since the accident aside from the camp last summer.
When asked if she afraid about the separation during the day Laura said, “We’ve been on a very steady forward journey that God continues to give provision for. He continues to open doors. It’s very exciting for me to know that we cannot even imagine what’s about to open—something that will allow us to give back all we have been given so others can have the same open doors, the same worth, the same investment. At the end of the day, that is the perspective we all need to have,” Laura said. She is not only her son’s full-time caregiver, but she also runs her own business, Sweet Side Street Side. With fresh foods, baked goodies, and catering for events, holidays, and festivals it keeps her busy year round and helps with medical costs.
Looking ahead, the third annual MicahStrong co-ed softball tournament, the largest single fundraising event, is scheduled for March in Chapel Hill. An opportunity for the community to rally around Micah and support his journey, all funds go directly into Micah’s trust fund.
In July, Micah will return for the second True Grit Spinal Cord Program at Rutgers University. This year, there are more participants, and the camp is extended to seven days long.
Micah’s life may have been altered by that “routine play,” but his resilience, faith, and determination have turned it into something extraordinary. Perhaps his future was more than just promising—it was destined for greatness.
Micah’s favorite bible verse Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Micah’s story is a testament to this promise. A plan that God designed where Micah is prospering and hoping in a future he never imagined.